THE 2008 has become a top seller for Peugeot and it's easy to see why.
It may be one of the new breed of crossovers combining the abilities of an SUV with those of an estate car but its looks are absolutely traditional - and that's its great appeal.
While others have gone for quite futuristic styling with their crossovers - such as the Nissan Juke - Peugeot has kept things pure.
Think of it as a bigger version of the 208 hatchback with added attitude and you won't be far off the mark.
In top grade Feline trim the 2008 costs £19,145 but comes fully equipped with sat nav, automatic air conditioning and Internet access to supplement Bluetooth connectivity.
It also features Peugeot's clever grip control traction system which uses electronics to enable its front-wheel-drive configuration to tackle some quite serious off-road conditions.
But its real strength lies with fuel economy and its 1.6-litre diesel will average more than 60 to the gallon without any trouble.
Officially it is rated at 70.6mpg with emissions of 103g/km and you don't have to try that hard to better that.
On a 100 mile run through the countryside the 2008 managed to notch up an average of 74.2mpgand overall the car returned 68.8 in everyday use which included a fair amount of motorways.
It is hugely impressive and while the 92ps engine cannot be described as sporty performance is more than adequate with a 0 to 60 time of 12.8 seconds and a top speed of 113mph.
The engine is mated to a five speed manual gearbox and both gear lever and hand brake are of chunky design - an unusual feature which can take some getting used to, especially with the brake lever which is the size of your palm.
However, it does have a trick up its sleeve and that is with a sophisticated stop/start system which cuts out the engine as the car is coming to rest instead of waiting until the vehicle is stationary.
It is an effective system and the amount of time when the engine is off is shown on an eco gauge on the instrument panel. It's an intriguing figure which over our 100 mile route which lasted the best part of three hours it showed nine minutes and 27 seconds. - around five per cent of the journey time.
And should you need to engage power once the system has operated, then the restart is instantaneous as soon as the brake pedal is released.
The grip control is a standard feature as it is on other Peugeot leisure vehicles such as the 3008 and gives the car above average traction when the going gets sticky, wintry or muddy.
For a car which is the size of a compact estate room all round is good and with leather seats the appointments are on the posh side and include coloured door pulls designed to have a metallic look.
Boot space ranges from 350 to 1,194 litres which makes the 2008 practical from a family point of view.
A panoramic sunroof was another standard feature at this trim level and so was blue ambient lighting which produced a pleasant glow across the roof at night.
Overall, the 2008 is well finished, high on family features and when it comes to all round performance is more capable than most.
For less than £20,000 it is a very attractive proposition, especially for those who don't want a full blown SUV and it's little surprise that with 17,500 sales last year it was Peugeot's second best seller after the 208.